Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said that his country is not attempting to create "forbidden" nuclear weapons. Photo / AP
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said that his country is not attempting to create "forbidden" nuclear weapons. Photo / AP
Iran has been emboldened by a lack of action by Britain and other countries, Israel has warned, as a senior official said Tehran was "very close" to a point of "no return" in its drive for a nuclear bomb.
The Israeli official, who is involved in monitoring Iran's activities, told the Sunday Telegraph the fact that Iran felt sufficiently confident to launch a drone attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman showed that "they don't feel real international criticism or threat".
The intervention came as the Pentagon said that the drone behind the attack on the MV Mercer Street, which killed a British security guard, was designed and produced by Iran.
Iran's foreign ministry said claims that it was responsible for the strike were "baseless".
Israel is concerned that an emboldened Iran under Ebrahim Raisi, the new president, will refuse to suspend its nuclear programme.
The official's assessment chimes with a claim by Benny Gantz, Israel's defence minister, that Iran is "only around 10 weeks away" from acquiring the weapons-grade materials necessary to build a nuclear weapon.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the senior Israeli figure said Iran was "extremely close" to acquiring enough fissile material to make a nuclear bomb and yet "nothing is being done" by "the international community", which is focused on attempted talks over reviving a pact with the country.
The official said: "The international community, including Britain, has to change paradigm... and understand that we're very close to a point where there will be no return and do every effort possible in order to stop Iran's advancements in the nuclear file.
"There are a lot of tools for the international community to challenge Iran, whether it's strong enforcement of economic sanctions, whether it's challenging it in international arenas, multilateral arenas, not sending an official representation to Raisi's inauguration, for example - there's so much that can be done, and not being done.
"That's a huge worry for us. And the fact that Iran feels so confident to attack ships in the way it did, goes to show you that they don't feel criticism or threat."
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations in 2012. Israel has warned for decades that Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons. Photo / Getty Images
Dominic Raab, the UK Foreign Secretary, described the attack on Mercer Street as "unlawful" and "callous", stating that the UK was "working with our international partners on a concerted response to this unacceptable attack."
Israel opposes the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions.
Britain, France, Germany and the US have been in talks with Iran to revive the pact after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the deal.
But the Israeli official said it was only severe sanctions that have historically brought Iran "to the table".
As he was sworn into office last week, Raisi said that Iran was not attempting to create "forbidden" nuclear weapons.
The senior Israeli official said: "We are extremely worried that under the umbrella of negotiations, Iran is... making huge advancements... basically unharassed, without being challenged."
The official insisted: "I'm not criticising the British Government. I don't think the British Government works on its own. There is a whole bunch of players in the Iranian file... Britain, and we know that their heart is in the right place, cannot do things on its own. And we understand that.
"Even if you just look at the JCPOA,you have six signatories. So you have [for example] the US, Germany or France, Russia and China. You have to work within this programme. If you want to do something in [the UN] Security Council, you need to have the members not opposing it. It's not an easy task, and it cannot be alone.
